The government had advertised the Maha Kumbh as “divine, grand, digital” with arrangements for cyber security, land digitalisation, and enhanced devotee security. Among such measures were 10 lost and found centres, but relatives of the missing have now filed complaints against the poor functioning of these facilities.

Before the major bathing dates, several reports had claimed that the authorities were using artificial intelligence to find those who were lost. But posters of the missing speak about a different reality on the ground.

Watch Akanksha Kumar’s ground report to understand the hurdles faced by such families.

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